Douche apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 18, 1961 N h @N A way/AA 23$ INVENTOR.

' GZE/V/V W- LADD p 4, 1963 G. w. LADD 3,104,664

DOUCHE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

GLW/V M L400 BY WWW/4w United States Patent 3,104,664 DOUCIE APPARATUSGlenn W. Ladd, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Sam Nussbaurn, Kansas City,Mo. Filed Sept. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 138,783 6 Claims. or. 128229) Thisinvention relates to an article of feminine hygiene, and morespecifically to douche apparatus and vaginal syringe for delivering aspray of water or Water and medicament for flushing the vagina.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide doucheapparatus for connection to a faucet having hot and cold water supplyfor delivering a stream or spray of water at a desired temperature; toprovide such apparatus with a valve controlled flow passage for waterand a medicament containing chamber selectively communicated with saidflow passage for mixture with the water passing therethrough; to providesuch a structure wherein the water valve is upstream from the chambercommunication and the flow passage above the chamber whereby themedicament is dispensed only when both valves are open; .to provide sucha structure with closely associated valve control members wherein saidvalve members may be actuated by one hand holding the syringe; toprovide such a structure having a body connected by a flexible tube to afaucet with a syringe nozzle extending from said body; to provide such astructure wherein the water control valve may be opened independently ofdispensing of medicament to enable the user to test the temperature ofthe water before utilizing same and when the temperature is adjusted todispense a stream or spray of water or water and medicament as desired;and to provide a douche apparatus that is relatively simple, easilysupported, controlled and maintained for efiicient operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of my invention connectedto a faucet.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the valve body andnozzle.

FIG. 3 is a plan view With portions broken away to show the pivotalmounting of the Water valve control lever.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the valve body andmedicament chamber taken on the line 4-4, FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the valve body taken onthe line 5-5, FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the connection with the faucet.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates a douche apparatus having acontrol structure 2 with a syringe nozzle 3 extending therefrom and aflexible hose 5 extending from said structure in spaced relation to thenozzle. The hose 5 has a connection structure 6 for attachment to amixing faucet 7 such as is found in conventional fixtures, for example,l-avatories 8 and the like, and usually connected with hot and coldWater supplies with valves (not shown) actuated by members 9 and 10 foradjusting the temperature of the water dispensed from the faucet.

The flow control structure preferably consists of an elongate body 11provided with a flow passageway 12 extending generally longitudinallythereof with the inlet end 13 of said passageway communicating through abore 14 of a connector 15 at the discharge end of the hose 5, the bore14 having communication with the bore 16 of said 3,104,664 PatentedSept. 24, 1963v hose. In the illustrated: structure, the connector 15has a nipple 17 which extends into the hose bore and the hose endclamped around the nipple by means of a terrule or the like 18. Theother end of the connector 15 is a form ofan externally threadedprojection 19 which is screwed into a threaded bore 20 at the inletportion 13 of the passageway 12, said connector having an annular flangeportion 22 with a gasket 23 interposed between said flange and theadjacent end 24 of the body to form a watertight seal.

A valve structure 25 is arranged in the passageway 12 adjacent theconnector 15 to control flow through said passageway. In the structureillustrated, the valve is of a tilt type and consists of a bushing 26threaded into a reduced screw threaded portion 27 of the flow passage12, said bushing having an outlet bore or port 28 and an enlargedannular recess 29 on the inlet end to receive a seat member-30 in theform of a tubular resilient member of elastic rubber or synthetic resinwith a seat face- 31 adapted to be engaged by a valve member 32 to closethe port through said valve structure 25. The valve member has a discportion 33 with an axial lug 34 extending therefrom on the inlet sideto. center a spring 35 sleevedv thereon, said spring having one endengaged against the valve disc 33 and the other end against the adjacentend of the connector 15 to urge the valve disc into seated position. Thevalve member has an axial stem 36 extending downstream therefrom withgenerally radial ribs 37 extending adjacent said disc and'positioned inthe tubular seat member 30 with the outer periphery of said ribs beingsubstantially spherical to serve as a guide spider whereby the valve isopened by lateral movement of the stem. 36 from a position axially ofthe flow passage portion.

The valve member 32v is normally in closed or seated position and isactuated by a lever 38 having one end pivotally mounted by a pin 39carried by cars 4.0 on the upper portion of the body. The, lever extendstoward the inlet end of the, body 11 with its lower side recessed as at41 to receive a rocking connection or ball 42 on. the outer end of a rod43 that extends downwardly in the body through a bore 44 with an innerend 45 adapted to engage the stem 36. The body preferably has acounterbore 46 for mounting a packing 47 and packing gland 48 toprovidea seal around the rod 43 and permit movement thereof. The connection 42or ball. is preferably engaged by one end of a spring or resilientmember 49 sleeved on the rod and having the other end bearing againstthe packing gland 48, said spring biasing said arm outwardly with itsswinging movement limited by a stop 40 adjacent the pivoted end of thelever, the outer extremity of its pivotal movement being such that therod 43 will be spaced from or slightly contacting the stem 36 when thestem is axial of the flow passage and the valve disc seated by theurging of the spring. '35. The valve disc normally is closed, andpressure of liquid or water from the hose bore 16 tends to maintain saidvalve in closed position until forcibly opened by operation of the lever38 to move the stem 36 laterally.

The outlet end of the body 11 preferably has a con.- nector 50 toremovably mount the vaginal syringe nozzle 3 thereon. In the illustratedstructure, the outlet end has a threaded bore 51 in which a threadedprojection 52 on the connector 50 is screwed with :a seal member orgasket 53 between the connector and the end of the body to: form awatertight seal. The connector has a generally cone-shaped entry bore 54communicating with a bore 55 which, in turn, communicates with a bore 56of the vaginal spray device or syringe nozzle which, in the illustratedstructure, has :a threaded end 57 threaded into a counterbore 58 in theconnector 50 with a seal member or gasket 59 compressed to form awatertight seal. The

syringe nozzle may be of any suitable type and, in the illustratedstructure, has an end 60 provided with a removable member 61 mounted ina threaded bore 62 and arranged to provide diverging sprays through adischarge.

opening 63, the nozzle end being such that it can be easily removed andcleaned.

' [intermediate the control valve structure 25 and the connector 50, thebody 11 is provided with a medicament containing chamber 64. In theillustrated structure, the flow passage portion 65 adjacent theconnector 50 is reduced in size and is generally semi-cylindrical withthe lower flat portion defined by a wall or partition 66. Below saidpartition the body is enlarged and has a recess 67 extending upwardlytherein .to receive the upper end of a cup 68 that cooperates with thewall 66 to define the medicament containing chamber 64. In theillustrated structure, the recess is threaded as at 69 to receivethreads 70 of the cup-shaped member to secure same in place with agasket or seal member 71 compressed between the upper end 72 of thecup-shaped member and the wall 66. The cup-shaped member preferably hascars 73 extending therefrom to form projections to aid in screwing thecup-shaped member into and out of the recess 67. The chamber 64communicates with the flow passage .portion 65 through a bore or port 74in the wall 66, and flow through said bore or port is controlled by avalve member 75 having a head 76 adapted to seat on a tapered valve seatportion 77 with the valve stem 78 being smaller than said bore 74 andextending therethrough whereby the space around the stem is a flowpassage. The stem extends upwardly through a bore 79 in the body andterminates in an end externally thereof having an actuating member orthumb piece 80' secured thereto as by screw threads. The thumb piece ispreferably circular and is immediately on a downstream end of the levermounting ears 40 adjacent the pin 39, said thumb piece being movableinto a recess 81 tin-the body when depressed to open the valve flow bore74. The bore 79 is provided with a counterbore for receiving a packing82 held in sealing engagement with the stem 78 by a packing gland 83. Aresilient member or spring 84 is sleeved on the outer end portion of thestem between thepacking gland and thumb piece 80 to bias the valvemember 75 into closed position. The proximity of the thumb piece to thelever 38 makes it possible for the user to control the flow of water bydepressing the lever 38 and simultaneously opening the valve member 75to the medicament chamber 64 by use of the thumb of the same hand.

The connector 6 may be any suitable structure but, in the illustratedstructurqthere is an adapter 86 se cured to the discharge end 87 of afaucet 7, said adapter forming a male portion of the coupling orconnector 6. In the illustrated structure, the connector has a femalemember 88 to receive the male member 89 therein with shoulders 90 and 91on the male and female members respectively adapted to have a gasket 92compressed therebetween to form a seal. The compression of thegasket isefliected by means of lovers 93 having eccentric cam portions 94 thereonadapted to engage in recesses or groove portions 95 on the adapter. Thefemale member preferably has a suitable removable connection 96 for thehose to form a watertight connection for flow o'fwater through thefaucet and coupling into the bore 16 of the hose. i

In usinga douche apparatus constructed and assembled 6 is connected tothe faucet 7 and the valve handles 9 and actuated to open the hot andcold water and then, by depressing the lever 38, the valve disc 33 istilted for :flow of water through the hose 5 and flow passage 12 in thebody for discharge from the nozzle; the valve member 75 remaining closedwhereby only Water will flow from the nozzle 3. The valve handles 9 and10 are then moved to adjust the temperature of the mixed hot and coldwater until the desired temperature of water is discharged from thenozzle. The valve control lever 38 is then released, and the valvemember 32 seats to stop the flow of water in the passageway 12.

The nozzle 3 may be inserted in the person and then by I depressing thelever 38 a desired flow and spray of water When it is desired to isobtained to ilush the vagina. add medicament to the water, the thumb ofthe hand holding the body 11 and depressing the lever 38 is then used todepress the thumb piece 80 to move the valve member to port openingposition whereby the flow of water through the passage portion 65 willinduce the medicament to flow through the port 74 and mix with the waterand said mixture is then discharged through they removal of theconnector 50, connector 15 and valve assembly 25, the entire flowpassage 12 is accessible. The entire structure is relatively small andcan be easily stored as desired.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described oneform of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form orarrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as suchlimitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A douche apparatus comprising, a body having an elongate nozzleextending therefrom, a flexible inlet tube having one end connected tosaid body in spaced rela-- tion to the nozzle and adapted to beconnected to a source of liquid supply, said body having a liquidpassageway therethrough communicating said inlet tube with said nozzle,valve means in said passageway adjacent said inlet tube and operable tocontrol passage of liquid through the body passageway, a control leverpivoted on said body and positioned externally thereof, means biasingsaid valve means into normally closed position,

means operable by said control lever for actuating said" valve means tomove same into flow open position, means defining a medicamentcontaining chamber having a flow opening communicating with thepassageway in the body between said valve and nozzle, a valve membernormally closing the flow passage for said medicament and having a stemextending through the body and terminating adjacent said control lever,and an actuator on said stem and selectively operable to move said valvemember to flow open position whereby flow of liquid in the passagewayefiects introduction of medicament from said chamber into said liquid insaid passageway, said control lever and actuator on the stem of thevalve member each being selectively movable and movable simultaneouslyby a single hand of the operator.

2. A douche apparatus comprising, an elongate body having an elongatenozzle extending therefrom, a flexible inlet tube having one endconnected to said body 1n longitudinally spaced relation to said nozzle,means By removal. of the connector 15, access is obtained to the valvestructure 25 for removal or servicing as desired. Also, by

on the other end of said tube for attachment to a source of liquidsupply, said body having a longitudinal liquid passageway therethroughcommunicating said inlet tube with said nozzle, valve means in saidpassageway adjacent said inlet tube for controlling passage of liquidthrough the body passageway, means biasing said valve means to normallyclose the flow of liquid through said body passageway, a control leverpivoted on said body and positioned externally thereof, means operableby said control lever and extending into said passageway into operativeengagement with said valve to move same into flow open position inresponse to actuation of said lever, a cup-shaped member removablymounted on said body between the valve and nozzle and substantiallyoppositely from said control lever, said cup-shaped member cooperatingwith said body to define a medicament containing chamber, a flow openingin said body communicating with said chamber and said passageway, avalve member normally preventing flow through said flow opening andhaving a stern extending through the body and terminating adjacent saidcontrol lever, and an actuator on said stem and operable to move saidvalve member to flow open position whereby flow of liquid in thepassageway effects introduction of medicament from said chamber intosaid liquid in the passageway, said control lever and actuator on thestem of the valve member each being selectively movable and movablesimultaneously by a single hand of an operator.

3. A vaginal syringe comprising, an elongate body having a liquid flowpassage extending therethrough and having inlet and outlet ends, meansmounted on the inlet end of the body for connecting said inlet to asource of liquid supply for delivery to said liquid passageway, anelongate nozzle connected to the body in communication with the outletend of said passageway, a valve seat member secured in said liquidpassageway adjacent to and downstream from said inlet end, said valveseat member having an axial port therethrough, a valve member engageablewith said seat member to close said port, means biasing said valvemember into normally flow closing position, a control lever having oneend pivoted on said body whereby said control lever is externallythereof, a valve actuating rod engaged by said control lever andextending through the body into operative engagement with the valvemember, means biasing said rod outwardly relative to said body wherebyactuation of the control lever toward the body eifects engagement of therod with the valve member to move the valve member into open positionfor flow of liquid through the passageway in the body, means on saidbody between the valve seat and outlet end and substantially oppositelyfrom the control lever and cooperating with said body to define amedicament chamber, a flow opening in said body communicating saidchamber with said passageway, a second valve member controlling flowthrough said flow opening and having a stem extending through said bodyand terminating in an end exteriorly of the body, a head on said stemend, and means biasing said second valve member to normally closedposition relative to said flow opening whereby movement of said valvestem head moves the second valve member into flow opening position andmovement of the control lever moves the first-named valve member intoliquid flowing position whereby flow of liquid in the passageway eiiectsintroduction of medicament from said chamber into said liquid fordischarge through the nozzle.

4. A vaginal syringe comprising, an elongate body having a liquid flowpassage extending therethrough and having inlet and outlet ends, meansmounted on the inlet end of the body for connecting said inlet to asource of liquid supply for delivery to said liquid passageway, anelongate nozzle connected to the body in communication with the outletend of said passageway, a valve seat member secured in said liquidpassageway adjacent to and downstream from said inlet end, said valveseat member having an axial port therethrough, a valve member engageablewith said seat member to close said port, means biasing said valvemember into normally flow closing position, a control lever having oneend pivoted on said body whereby said control lever is externallythereof, a valve actuating rod pivotally engaged by said control leverand extending through the body into operative engagement with the valvemember, means biasing said rod outwardly relative to said body wherebyactuation of the control lever toward the body effects engagement of therod with the valve member to move the valve member into open positionfor flow of liquid through the passageway in the body, a cup-shapedmember removably mounted on said body between the valve seat and outletend and substantially oppositely from the control lever, said cup-shapedmember cooperating with said body to define a medicament chamber, a flowopening in said body communicating said chamber with said passageway, asecond valve member controlling flow through said flow opening andhaving a stem extending through said body and terminating in an endexteriorly of the body and adjacent the pivoted end of the controllever, a head on said stem end, andmeans biasing said second valvemember to normally closed position relative to said flow opening wherebymovement of said valve stem head moves the second valve member into flowopening position and movement of the control lever moves the first-namedvalve member into liquid flowing position whereby flow of liquid in thepassageway effects introduction of medicament from said chamber intosaid liquid for discharge through the nozzle.

5. A vaginal syringe comprising, an elongate body having a liquid flowpassage extending longitudinally therethrough and having inlet andoutlet ends, means removably mounted on the inlet end of the body forconnecting said inlet to a source of liquid supply for delivery to saidliquid passageway, an elongate nozzle, means removably connecting saidelongate nozzle to the body in communi cation with the outlet end ofsaid passageway, a valve seat member secured in said liquid passagewayadjacent to and downstream from said inlet end, said valve seat memberhaving an axial port therethrough, a valve member engageable with saidseat member to close said port, said valve member having a sternextending axially through the .port and downstream relative to saidseat, means biasing said valve member into normally flow closingposition, a control lever having one end pivoted on said body wherebysaid control lever is externally thereof and extends from the pivotalmounting toward the inlet end beyond the valve member stern, a valveactuating rod engaged by said control lever and extending through thebody into operative engagement with the valve member stern downstreamfrom said valve member, means biasing said rod outwardly relative tosaid body whereby actuation of the control lever toward the body effectsengagernent of the rod with the valve stem to tilt the valve member intoopen position for ilow of liquid through the passageway in the body, acup-shaped memlber removably mounted on said body between the valve seatand outlet end and substantially oppositely from the control lever, saidcup-shaped member cooperating with said body to define a medicamentchamber, a flow opening in said body communicating said chamber withsaid passageway, 21 second valve member controlling flow through saidflow opening and having a stem extending through said body andterminating in an end exteriorly of the body and adjacent the pivotedend of the contnol lever, a head on said stem end, and means biasingsaid second valve member to normally closed position relative to saidflow opening whereby movement of said valve stem head moves the secondvalve member into flow opening position and movement of the controllever moves the first-named valve member into liquid flowing positionwhereby flow of liquid in the passageway efie'cts introduction ofmedicament from said chamber into said liquid for discharge through thenozzle.

6. A douche app'anatus comprising, an elongate body having a liquid flowpassage extending longitudinally therethrough and having inlet andoutlet ends, a flexible inlet tube having one end connected to the inletend oi the body, coupling means on the other end of said flexible tubefor removable attachment to a source of liquid supply for delivery tosaid liquid passageway, an elongate nozzle, mean-s removab-ly connectingsaid elongate nozzle to the body in communication with the outlet end ofsaid passageway, a valve seat member secured in said liquid passagewayadjacent to and downstream from said inlet end, said valve seat memberhaving an axial port therethrough, a valve member engageable with saidseat member to close said port, said valve member having a stemextending axially through the port and downstream relative to said seat,means biasing said valve member into normally flow closing position, acontrol lever having one end pivoted on said body whereby said controllever is externally thereof and extends from the pivotal mounting towardthe inlet end beyond the valve member stem, a valve actuating rodpivotally engaged by said control lever and extending through the bodyinto operative engagement with the valve member stern down-stream fromsaid valve member, means biasing said rod outwardly relative to saidbody whereby actuation of the control lever toward the body effectsengagement of the rod with member controlling flow through said flowopening, a' stem on said second valve member and extending through saidbody and terminating in an end exteriorly of the;

body and adjacent the pivoted end of the control lever, a head on saidstem end, and means biasing said second valve member to normally closedposition relative to Said flow opening whereby movement of said valvestem head moves the second valve member into flow opening position andmovement of the control lever moves the firstnamed valve member intoliquid flowing position whereby flow of liquid in the passageway effectsintroduction of medicament from said chamber into said liquid fordischarge through the nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,606,366 Hilliman NOV. 9, 192 2,627,271 Purser Feb. 3, 1953 'UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE ()F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,104 664September 24, 1963 Glenn W. Ladd It is hereby certified that errorappears in the above numbered patant requiring correction and that thesaid Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, line 2, for "assignor to Sam Nussbaum, of

Kansas City, Missouri, read assignor of one-ha If to Sam Nussbaum, ofKansas City, Missouri, line 11, for "Sam Nussbaum, his heirs" read GlennW. Ladd, and Sam Nussbaum, their heirs in the heading to the printedspecification, lines 3 and 4, for "assignor to Sam Nussbaum, Kansas City, Mo." read assignor of one-half to Sam Nussbaum, Kansas City,

Signed and sealed this 14th day of April 1964.

(SEAL) Attest: EDWARD J BRENNER ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

1. A DOUCHE APPARATUS COMPRISING, A BODY HAVING AN ELONGATE NOZZLEEXTENDING THEREFROM, A FLEXIBLE INLET TUBE HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TOSAID BODY IN SPACED RELATION TO THE NOZZLE AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTEDTO A SOURCE OF LIQUID SUPPLY, SAID BODY HAVING A LIQUID PASSAGEWAYTHERETHROUGH COMMUNICATING SAID INLET TUBE WITH SAID NOZZLE, VALVE MEANSIN SAID PASSAGEWAY ADJACENT SAID INLET TUBE AND OPERABLE TO CONTROLPASSAGE OF LIQUID THROUGH THE BODY PASSAGEWAY, A CONTROL LEVER PIVOTEDON SAID BODY AND POSITIONED EXTERNALLY THEREOF, MEANS BIASING SAID VALVEMEANS INTO NORMALLY CLOSED POSITION, MEANS OPERABLE BY SAID CONTROLLEVER FOR ACTUATING SAID VALVE MEANS TO MOVE SAME INTO FLOW OPENPOSITION, MEANS DEFINING A MEDICAMENT CONTAINING CHAMBER HAVING A FLOWOPENING COMMUNICATING WITH THE PASSAGEWAY IN THE BODY BETWEEN SAID VALVEAND NOZZLE, A VALVE MEMBER NORMALLY CLOSING THE FLOW PASSAGE FOR SAIDMEDICAMENT AND HAVING A STEM EXTENDING THROUGH THE BODY AND TERMINATINGADJACENT SAID CONTROL LEVER, AND AN ACTUATOR ON SAID STEM ANDSELECTIVELY OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID VALVE MEMBER TO FLOW OPEN POSITIONWHEREBY FLOW OF LIQUID IN THE PASSAGEWAY EFFECTS INTRODUCTION OFMEDICAMENT FROM SAID CHAMBER INTO SAID LIQUID IN SAID PASSAGEWAY, SAIDCONTROL LEVER AND ACTUATOR ON THE STEM OF THE VALVE MEMBER EACH BEINGSELECTIVELY MOVABLE AND MOVABLE SIMULTANEOUSLY BY A SINGLE HAND OF THEOPERATOR.